Charles Munro, visiting instructor for the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at University of Iowa

Jay has shown two remarkable qualities as a manager. The first and most significant is that he takes – indeed, seizes – initiative! Jay singlehandedly organized the first live, prime-time election return telecast, a complicated project involving coordinating multiple live TV news inserts into scheduled cable programming. The second is that he has an extraordinary ability to get people to work for him. I have observed how skillfully Jay praises and prods, admonishing bad behavior when appropriate and reinforcing the good when necessary. Jay’s success in building a small, struggling staff of broadcast journalism students into a professional news organization is apparent to all who work for him.

Lois Gray, assistant director for the University of Iowa News Services

In my more than two decades as a journalist, editor and media relations professional, it is rare to come across a journalist who has the curiosity, compassion and drive that Jay possesses. He can display the tenacity of a pit bull in pursuing a good story. Yet, he also has the compassion and intelligence that helps give journalists a good name. He is also an innovator who is always seeking creative and compelling new ways to share a story that will resonate with readers, especially through the use of video and other convergence media.

Jay put together a video package on a University of Iowa student, Wangui Gathua. In December Wangui traveled to her native Kenya to visit family and friends over the winter break only to become caught up in the violent aftermath of the disputed reelection of President Mwai Kibaki. Gathua saw that young girls whose families could no longer pay for schooling had become particularly vulnerable in this turbulent environment. So Gathua decided to form the Kenyan Humanitarian Fund when she returned to Iowa City. Jay captured her story in such a powerful way that many local and regional members of the media picked up on the story.  Gathua received an overwhelming amount of donated items, sympathy, support and even money after this story gained more visibility – all thanks to the video news package. But even more important, Gathua said, was the awareness Jay created about the plight of her fellow native Kenyans back home and what was really happening in her country. I think this is just one of many examples of the great journalistic work Jay does that makes a true difference in the lives of real people – not just celebrities and politicians.

Source | Daily Iowan TV
Man murders his family in Iowa City. Jay Knoll reports.

Source | Daily Iowan TV
The Hamburg Inn #2 in Iowa City has an annual coffee bean caucus, and it's kinda a big deal every presidential election.

Source | Daily Iowan TV
KNOLL covers the Iowa Caucus from Johnson County and the University of Iowa.